Police said the victim, a man with disabilities, was attacked while riding his bike and robbed of personal items.
WHARTON, Texas — Six juveniles are facing charges after police said a man with disabilities was beaten and robbed in Wharton while riding his bike on Sunday night, according to local authorities and the victim’s account.
Police said the group was identified after investigators received video of the assault several days later. The case quickly drew attention in Wharton because of the victim’s disabilities, the ages of the suspects and the violent nature of the attack. Authorities said the juveniles are 12 to 14 years old. Four were being held in juvenile detention, while two were released to their parents as the case moved forward.
Darrell Norman Williams said he was riding through town when a group of boys approached him and started throwing objects. “They were just chunking bottles at me and rocks and stuff,” Williams said. He said the encounter escalated fast, knocking him off balance and sending him to the ground. Video described by police and people close to Williams showed part of what happened next, with the attackers kicking and punching him while he tried to shield himself. The assault, according to investigators, did not end there. Williams said his attackers took property from him after the beating, turning the encounter from an assault into a robbery case.
Diondre Brown, who said he has helped care for Williams for nearly 15 years, described the aftermath in blunt terms. Brown said Williams was struck in the head and stomach, and that the attackers tore at his clothing during the assault. Brown also said Williams’ bike and shoes were taken. Williams told reporters he had not provoked the group. “I do nothing to them. I said nothing to them,” he said. Police have not released the juveniles’ names because they are underage. Authorities said the evidence included a video that was sent to investigators four days after the attack, giving detectives a direct look at what happened and helping them identify all six suspects.
The charges announced by police are aggravated robbery and engaging in organized criminal activity, two serious allegations that suggest investigators believe the attack involved both violence and coordinated action by the group. The use of those charges signals that authorities are treating the case as more than a street fight or simple theft. In Texas, juvenile cases move through a different court process than adult criminal cases, and many details are often withheld because of age restrictions. That has left some questions unanswered, including how the group came together that night, whether the juveniles knew Williams beforehand and what role each suspect is accused of playing in the attack.
Even with those unknowns, the case has shaken many people in Wharton because it involved a vulnerable victim and a recording of the assault. Video evidence often becomes central in juvenile cases, especially when investigators are trying to sort out individual conduct inside a group attack. Police said all six suspects were identified by Tuesday, a sign that the investigation moved quickly once the recording reached law enforcement. The speed of the arrests may also help prosecutors and juvenile authorities decide whether the allegations against each suspect should be handled the same way or broken apart by conduct, age and level of participation.
For Williams and those close to him, the legal process now runs alongside the personal fallout of the attack. Brown’s account of the injuries and the damage to Williams’ clothes and property underscored how humiliating the encounter was, not just how violent. The language used by Brown reflected anger that the victim was singled out and treated cruelly. Police, meanwhile, have framed the case through the charges and custody decisions already announced. That split between emotional harm and courtroom procedure is likely to define the story in the coming days as authorities provide any additional details and as the community watches to see how the juvenile system handles the case.
The case stood with six juveniles identified and charged as of Tuesday, with four in detention and two released to parents. The next milestone is any further court action or police update on the suspects’ individual roles.
Author note: Last updated April 15, 2026.